[Lymphatic drainage of the pulmonary segments in the adult: clinical facts and anatomical confirmation].

Anatomical descriptions of the pulmonary lymphatics come mostly from data collected on the fetus or the newborn. Few studies refer to the respective drainage of the different segments, owing to their recent identification. However, the surgeon operating a lung must know whether a given region can drain directly into the mediastinal lymph nodes, and where exactly it drains. Clinical observations tend to favour this possibility. In fact, it is not rare that tumors considered as N.O., that is without any involvement of hilum lymph nodes recur in the mediastinum. In addition, the systematic excision of mediastinal lymphatic chains, being carried out by out surgical team for more than 2 years, has shown the presence of mediastinal nodes in a lot of tumors of this type. The anatomical study which started 8 months ago is presented here and fully confirm this theory. Il showed the presence of collectors leading directly to the mediastinal lymph nodes, the possibility of contra-lateral drainage and of ducts leading directly to the supra-clavicular regions.